Wake up! With National Sleep Month approaching (May), Hilton
Hotels may have just what weary travelers need to catch a few more
zzz's.

Last October, Hilton, in cooperation with the National Sleep
Foundation and sleep product manufacturers, debuted Sleep-Tight
rooms. The rooms contain sleep-inducing gadgets such as a bedside
sound machine that generates soothing sounds and a "glow
lamp" that wakes guests with increasingly brighter light sans
the blaring alarm. Bedtime books, brochures on jet lag and a
modified mini-bar with cheese, crackers and milk (which contain
tryptophan, an amino acid that can cause drowsiness) all work to
aid business travelers in their quest to fall fast asleep. The
rooms also boast added insulation and a sleep kit complete with
face mask and earplugs; some rooms even have sound-proofed windows.
Perhaps the best feature, however, is a comfy, adjustable mattress
that feels like you're sleeping on a cloud.

The rooms, which cost the same as comparable standard rooms, are
available in New York City; Chicago; Oahu, Hawaii; Washington, DC;
and Beverly Hills, California. Hilton plans to expand the program
to five more locations by year-end and will begin testing
Sleep-Tight rooms in hotels in Asia and Europe in the coming
months.

Say, What?

Everyone has a few quirky travel preferences. For instance,
maybe you always rent a certain make of car or try to book a roomy
bulkhead seat on a cross-country flight. But a recent study by
Runzheimer International, a Rochester, Wisconsin-based management
consulting firm, reveals some business travelers have been known to
go a bit further by making some rather, well, bizarre travel
requests of their employers.

For example, have you ever had an employee request a seat
assignment on the "shady" side of the airplane? Been
asked to buy a bus ticket to Hawaii because the traveler was afraid
to fly? Or have an employee ask the company to pay for a
hotel's shower door because they fell asleep and broke the
glass? Yes, these are actual demands from business travelers.

Should an employee make an odd request--such as asking you to
replace the contents of luggage he or she inadvertently left on the
curb--Runzheimer suggests you begin by empathizing with the
person's situation. After telling them you understand their
concerns, however, stand firm and tell them that there's
nothing you can do but keep the situation in mind when considering
future travel policies. As for further explanation of their
situation, do yourself a favor: Don't ask!